NORWICH – Norwich students were given a lesson in the ins and outs of government when U.S. Representative Richard Hanna and New York State Assemblyman Clifford Crouch visited the school on Thursday.
The visit was part of an ongoing effort to encourage juniors and seniors to register to vote and become more involved in their civic duties. In addition to hearing a rundown of responsibilities of elected representatives at the federal, state and local levels, students also had the chance to ask questions about the issues that affect them most, such education reform and the structure of student loans.
The Chenango County Board of Elections was also on campus, providing students an opportunity to register.
As a former businessman fulfilling his third two-year term representing New York’s 22nd Congressional District, Hanna stressed the need for diversity in government rather than leaving government business to career politicians.
“It’s an interesting time to be in Congress because, if you watch the news, there’s so much wrong. There’s so many issues to be considered and the parties are deeply divided. But it’s a great time to be there because there are so many level-headed, solution-driven people there who want to make a difference,” he told students. “There’s nothing necessarily wrong with career politicians, but I think there is a tendency for people to think about the job they have instead of the opportunity they have to help.”
“It’s important, as you look at who you’re voting for, to look at what they have done,” added Assemblyman Crouch.
Crouch noted that 10,000 bills are introduced in the legislature each year by representatives from all over the state, approximately 1,100 of which are passed. Perhaps the biggest challenge, he said, is the vast diversity between upstate and New York City. With each vote he casts in Albany, his focus is on the interests of his constituency, he said.
“My job is to represent the people of my district,” said Crouch. “Most times, my beliefs are in line with my constituency. But there have been times when, if I had to vote from my personal belief, I might have voted differently. I need to walk that line.”
Norwich Mayor Joseph Maiurano also spoke, giving students the sense of what it means to serve at a local level.
Norwich School District staffer Tom LoPiccolo, organizer of the event, said the goal was to spark interest among students when it comes to choosing the person that will best represent their concerns in the future.
“I set this up mainly to get kids to understand what voting is all about, and how the congressmen and assemblymen back them up in the state and the federal government,” said LoPiccolo. “Our goal was to get that across to the students, and I think we did good.”